Toy building block



Oct. 11, 1932. T. HOWARD 1,882,607

TOY BUILDING BLOCK Filed March 12, 1931 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 PATENT .OFFICIE 1 'IHOMAS HOWARD, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TOY BUILDING BLOCK Applicationfiled March 12, 1931. Serial lid-522,029.

This invention relates to games and toys and more particularly to toy building blocks by means of which toy buildings and other structures may be erected.

' One object of the invention is to provide a set of blocks andkeys which may be interlocked with the blocks and retain the blocks connected with each other in order that a wall or any other portion desired of building or other structure may be formed.

- Another object of the invention is to so form theblocks and keys that. the blocks may be firmly held connected to each other and disposed either in the same plane or in stepped relation to each other, thereby permittingthe blocks of a Wall to be secured to blocks in a tier above or below them and further permits steps'and other portions requiring the blocks to be disposed in stepped relation to each other to be built.

' Another object of the invention is to permit the blocks to be secured in such position that they may form a section of a straight wall or wall sections extending transversely.

of each other.

- [Another object of the invention is to provide blocks and keys which are simple in construction and easyto assemble.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing a corner portion of a. Wall formed by means of the improved blocks and keys,

Figure 2 is a perspectiveview of one of the blocks,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one form of key, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of key known as a double key.

The blocks which are indicated in general by the numeral 1 are all of the same construe 7 tion and each has the form of a cube as shown in Figure 2. It will be understood, however, that if so desired, certain of the blocks may I body'and have upper and lower portions conforming to the shape of the block shown in Figure 2, in order that the upper and lower portions of. such blocks may be firmly secured to other blocks when building-aporch. 7

Referring to Figure 2 it will be seen-that each of the blocks is formed with circumferentially extending grooves 2, thereby defin ing an intermediate section 3 connected to end sections 4 by necks 5 which are rectangular in cross section as clearly shown in Figure 1.

The block is so proportioned that when the grooves 2 are'cut therein, the diameter of each neck will have a thickness corresponding to; twice the depth of a groove. Therefore if a block is two inches across itmay be formed with grooves one-half an inch deep and the necks will be one inch thick.

These blocks are connected to each other two-way or single key such as shown in Figure 3 and indicated bythe numeral 6 or a three-way key such as shown in the Figure 4 and'indicated by the numeral 7. This threeway key may be referred to as a double key as it serves to firmly secure a block to other blocks at opposite sides of it instead of se-- curing each block to only one block as is the case when the single key, shown in Figure 3 is used.

Each of the keys is formed from a fiat strip of material having a width corresponding to the width of a block and either twice the width of a block in length if it is a single key, or

three times the width of a block in length if it is a double key. It will be obvious-that longer keys may be used if so desired, but :that each key must have, a length constituting a multiple of the width of a block.

The single tie block or key 6 is cut from opposite sides to form recesses 8 which are of the samedepth, but extend in overlapping relation to each other, thereby dividingthe'key into a central portion 9 and end portions or arms 10 joined to endsof the central portion by longitudinally extending portions 11. The central portion 9 has a width corresponding to twice the width of an end portion or arm 10 and each of the recesses is of a width. corresponding to the width of the intermediate or central portion 9 of the key. It will thus be seen that when a key of this type is applied,

it may be fitted into one of the recesses 2 of a block with a neck 5 of the block engaged in one 'ofthe recesses 8 and the key will extend from the block and have a neck 5 of another block engaged in its other recess. By properly applying the keys-to a block, portions of the two keys may project from opposite sides of the block one above and one beneath the intermediate portion 3 thereof for engagement with other blocks disposed either at opposite sides of the first block or at right angles to each other. In Figure 1 the keys 6 have been shown connected with a block at the corner of the wall and serving to connect other blocks with the corner block in order to form side walls extending at right angles to each other. Since the intermediate portion 9 is twice as wide as the end portions 10, it will extend from one block to another, thereby serving to very firmly connect the blocks. If it is desired to have adjoining blocks disposed in stepped relation to each other in order to form steps leading to a porch, it is merely necessary to engage one end portion of a key in the lower recess of one block and its other end portion in the upper recess of an adjoining block and the two blocks will then be firmly held in engagement with each other but the upper face of the second block will be disposed in a lower plane than the upper face of the first block and, in fact,the upper section of the second block will be disposed in the same plane as the intermediate section 3 of the first block.

The double tie block or key shown in Figure 4 is similar in construction to the single key shown in Figure 3 except that it is of greater length and has end recesses 12 and an intermediate recess 13. The intermediate recess is cut from a side edge of the key opposite to that from which the end recesses are cut, and so located between the end recesses that the intemediate portions or arms 14: are twice the width of the end portions 15 and correspond in width to the recesses. Therefore when this key is applied as shown at the right of Figure 1, it may have a block engaged in its intermediate recess 13 and other blocks engaged in its recess 12 at opposite sides of the first block. It should be further noted that when forming a structure having one wall intersecting another at right angles thereto intermediate its length, a pair of double keys may be engaged in the upper and lower recesses of a block with their ends projecting from opposite sides of the block,

but the end portions of one key extending from the block at right angles to the end portions of the other keyand the projecting end portions of the two keys then engaged with blocks in order to form right angularly disposed intersecting walls.

It will be understood that when forming a wall such as shown in Figure 1 either single keys or double keys may be used and that both keys have been shown merely in order to illustrate the manner in which they engage the blocks. With a suitable number of blocks and keys, any structure desired may be erected, it being merely necessary to dispose the blocks in proper relation to each other and unite them by the keys. When so united, each block will be firmly held in engagement with adjoining blocks and a structure will be formed which will be very durable, but may be easily taken apart when so desired.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. The combination with companion blocks each having plain unbroken upper and lower faces and provided with spaced circumferential grooves defining connecting necks and flat horizontally disposed tie blocks having recesses opening in opposite directions through the inner and outer edges of the tie blocks, one of said recesses being adapted to receive the neck of one block and the other recess the neck of an adjacent block.

2. The combination with companion blocks each substantially rectangular in shape and having plain unbroken upper and lower faces, said blocks being provided with spaced circumferential grooves defining intermediate connecting necks, and a horizontally disposed tie block of a thickness less than the width of the grooves and provided with recesses opening through the opposite longitudinal edges of the tie block, one of said recesses being adapted to receive the neck of one of the blocks and the other recess the neck of an adjacent block.

3. The combination with companion blocks each rectangular in shape and having plain unbroken upper and lower faces, said blocks being provided with spaced circumferential horizontally disposed grooves defining intermediate connecting necks of angular formation, and a tie block including a relatively thin horizontally disposed body portion having transverse recesses formed therein and opening through the inner and outer longitudinal edges of the tie block, said recesses conforming to the shape of the connecting necks, one of said recesses being adapted to receive the neck of one of the companion blocks from one side thereof and the other recess being adapted to receive the neck of an adjacent block from the other side of said block.

4. The combination with companion blocks having plain unbroken upper and lower faces and provided with spaced circumferential 

